Induced air displacement control of flying objects

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns the provision of an apparatus that includes a light weight tethered object, such as a miniature kite, and a blower having a flow director located for directing blower displaced air toward the object to maintain the object in an elevated position.

United States Patent Inventors Appl. No, Filed Patented Richard J. Burke 3428 Ocean Boulevard, Corona del Mar; Peter B. S. Lissaman, 1201 E. California Street, Pasadena, both oi, Calif.

Sept. 2, 1969 Sept. 7, 1971 INDUCED AIR DISPLACEMENT CONTROL OF FLYING OBJECTS 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 244/ 155 Int. Cl 1364c 31/06, A63h 27/08 FieldofSearch 244/155,

153,154, 33; 239/5905, 77, 78, DIG. 18; 46/44,

Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Sauberer Attorney-White and Haefliger ABSAC'II: The invention concerns the provision of an ap paratus that includes a light weight tethered object, such as a miniature kite, and a blower having a flow director located for directing blower displaced air toward the object to maintain 77, 78 the object in an elevated position.

IINIIMUCEID Allllll IDIISIPLACEMENT CONTROL OF FLYING OBJECTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to controllable flying of objects such as kites, and more particularly concerns the flying of miniature objects indoors.

There is a continuing need and demand for indoor games involving motion skill and amusement. While outdoor kite flying has for a long historical period been practiced for amusement, no one to our knowledge has conceived of a way to bring the fun and skill of kite flying indoors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a major object of the invention to provide a way to practice indoors the skill and fun of controllably flying tethered objects such as kites. Basically, the invention involves the provision of apparatus that includes an object (such as a miniature kite) fastened to a tether and of such lightweight construction as to be capable of elevation in response to air flow thereagainst; and air displacement means including a blower and a flow director located for directing blower displaced air to flow toward said object to maintain the object in elevated condition and in a position determined by the length of the tether. The flow director may typically comprise a shroud extending downstream of the blower and with a discharge opening toward the object elevated position, the object tether for example comprising a flexible line capable of being reeled and unreeled.

The flow director may advantageously include a vane or vanes in the flow path downstream of the blower and angled to direct air to flow toward the object elevated position. Further, control means may be provided to control the vane or vanes in such manner as to alter the air flow directing angularity thereof relative to horizontal, so as to control the object elevation, for amusement. In this way, a child indoors may operate the director to achieve kite (or object) elevation and descent while he also reels and unreels the kite or object on the tether.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings in which:

DRAWING DESCRIPTION FIG. l is a side elevation, in section, of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation, in section, showing a flow directional control;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation showing a modified flow director;

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the FIG. 3 flow director; and

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. il, a lightweight object, as for example a miniature kite 10, is shown as tethered as by a flexible line llll reeled at 112. The reel is manually controllable to wind and unwind the line so as to determine the elevation of the flying object relative to surface 113.

The flying object is shown in the upwardly angled path M of air flow which is induced by mechanical displacement, as for example by blower driven by motor 16. Such flow is directed toward the object 10 by a flow director 17 which includes a shroud 1% extending about the blower and downstream thereof. The shroud has a discharge end 119 opening toward the general position of the flying object.

The flow director also includes vane means in the flow path 20 downstream of the blower and angled to direct air to flow toward the object position. Such vane means may include one or more vanes 211 which are angularly movable to control the air flow direction so as to control the elevation of the flying pivoted rods 24 so as to be adjustably rotatable about horizontal axes. The rods project through the sidewall 18a of the shroud so as to be accessible for rotation by levers 26 on the rods. A light friction fit of the rods in the walls of the shroud results but does not impede rod rotation, so that the vanes may be set at selected angles, which may be changed, for controlling the up and down flight of the flying object. Similarly vanes 21lb extend across the vertical dimension of the shroud,

and are controllable at 1126.

FIGS. 3-5 illustrate a modified flow director in the form ofa plate 30 directed leftwardly and upwardly to receive air blown from the shroud 31, as indicated by arrows 32. The air receiving upper surface 300 of the plate is fluted, as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, and the width of the plate may increase or decrease in the direction of air flow thereover. Note also that the flutes may diverge or converge in that direction. As a result, a stream of air is directed over divergent or convergent angle 14a, for maintaining the miniature kite in position.

Referring back to FIG. II, the shroud may be supported as shown at 40 for universal swiveling about horizontal and vertical axes 41 and 42. For example, a baseplate 43 may contain an opening 44 to receive the vertical swivel pin 45; and, the pin may be pivotally coupled to the shroud at 46. Accordingly, the shroud may be manipulated so as to cause the air stream to move about, and correspondingly to displace the kite W. A handle 47 may be provided on the shroud to facilitate such manipulation, and a trigger 48 may operate a switch controlling the energization of the motor E6. Finally, the plate 43 may support the reel mechanism 12.

We claim:

ll. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a. an object fastened to a tether and of lightweight construction so as to be elevated in response to air flow thereagainst,

b. and air displacement means including a rotary blower and a flow director located for directing blower displaced air to flow toward said object to maintain the object in elevated condition and in a position determined by the length of said tether and the character of the air stream,

. the flow director including vane means in the flow path downstream of the blower and angled to direct air to flow toward said position, and the tether being flexible and of a length to maintain the elevated object in the blower displaced air exteriorly of and remotely from said flow director.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said object consists of a miniature kite.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said tether comprises a flexible line and including controllable means to reel and unreel said line.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said flow director includes a shroud extending downstream of the blower and with a discharge opening toward said position.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said flow director includes a tubular shroud for the blower and having opposite open ends, the blower mounted within said shroud and being of axial flow construction.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim ll including means to move said vane means to alter the air flow directing angularity thereof so as to control the elevation and position of said object.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim ll, wherein said flow director includes an upwardly facing surface that is fluted in the direction of air flow thereover, and said flutes are out of parallel to spread the air flow directed thereover.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, including universal pivot means supporting said shroud and blower to pivot in response to manual manipulation thereof. 

1. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a. an object fastened to a tether and of lightweight construction so as to be elevated in response to air flow thereagainst, b. and air displacement means including a rotary blower and a flow director located for directing blower displaced air to flow toward said object to maintain the object in elevated condition and in a position determined by the length of said tether and the character of the air stream, c. the flow director including vane means in the flow path downstream of the blower and angled to direct air to flow toward said position, and the tether being flexible and of a length to maintain the elevated object in the blower displaced air exteriorly of and remotely from said flow director.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said object consists of a miniature kite.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said tether comprises a flexible line and including controllable means to reel and unreel said line.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said flow director includes a shroud extending downstream of the blower and with a discharge opening toward said position.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said flow director includes a tubular shroud for the blower and having opposite open ends, the blower mounted within said shroud and being of axial flow construction.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means to move said vane means to alter the air flow directing angularity thereof so as to contrOl the elevation and position of said object.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said flow director includes an upwardly facing surface that is fluted in the direction of air flow thereover, and said flutes are out of parallel to spread the air flow directed thereover.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, including universal pivot means supporting said shroud and blower to pivot in response to manual manipulation thereof. 